Trend Watch June 2025

What Design Makes for a Great High School Outdoor Space?

– and how do we design with the students, not just for them.

Woodcroft College SA Wellbeing Garden by Swanbury Penglase. Credit: Brad Griffin

A two year research project is underway to help inform the development of a Schoolyard Greenprint Guide for design professionals and school communities.

The project is led by Dr Gweneth Leigh, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Mental Health Policy Unit at the University of Canberra’s Health Research Institute. Funding is through Hort Innovations’ Frontiers program, with co-investment from the Landscape Foundation Australia (LFA), and contributions from the Australian Government.

The research asks two questions:
– How can schoolyards be designed to improve adolescents’ wellbeing?
– What evidence and guidance do designers and school leaders in Australia need to improve schoolyard design?

Researchers will gather insights directly from students, educators and designers to shape future high school environments. At the heart of this work is student voice – a diverse group of young people are co-researchers, providing valuable feedback on how outdoor spaces can better support their wellbeing, learning and connection.

Read more about the project here – Designing School Outdoor Spaces.

Disused Urban Space: Not all public spaces need a master plan

Locals have embraced a small patch of land in a railway reserve near Dennis Station in Northcote, Melbourne. Credit: Hugh Stanford

Cities worldwide are brimming with overlooked green spaces – from disused railway lines to stormwater drains and vacant lots. These informal areas can boost biodiversity, assist with urban cooling and offer exploration and connection with nature.

Writing for The Conversation, Hugh Stanford shares insights into his research with RMIT, outlining three ways local councils can unlock the potential of these spaces.

Hands off: This approach allows nature and communities to organically transform these areas, leading to ecologically rich and creative outcomes.

Helping out: Support existing informal initiatives like guerrilla gardens and pop-up parks. Councils can empower residents, bringing life to underused land at minimal cost.

Stepping in: Formalising these spaces into parks or public areas, especially when dealing with contamination or invasive weeds. Examples Stanford uses include a converted railway line in Paris and a disused sewer main in Melbourne, both leading to significant public benefits.

Stanford urges planners and local governments to resist over-controlling these spaces, and instead support and leverage what already exists. He encourages residents to engage with green spaces, and look for opportunities to create their own urban oases.

To learn how neglected areas can transform our cities into greener, more liveable neighbourhoods, read the full article in The Conversation.